Snow Play
by TheNotSoNiceLibrarian
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Kagome is alone. The snow does nothing to improve her mood; reminding her of what she lost. The Reiki team have a surprise for her; but before they can do so... a battle of epic porportions erupts in the middle of the Higurashi shrine. Who will survive this fierce battle...and why is Yukina smiling so evilly? Second Installment of Call of the Dragon Arc


Disclaimer: I do not own either InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did I'd probably have a lot more money. So, don't bother sueing; all you would get would be some blood thirty dust bunnies and a couple of fuzzy floor sharks.

A/N: This is the next segment on my Call of the Dragon fic. We had a snow storm here yeasterday and this is a little Drabble that was inspired by that. For those of you who haven't read my fic Call of the Dragon...you don't HAVE to in order to enjoy this... but it would be helpful.

I hope ya'll enjoy!

Snow Play

Call of the Dragon Drabbles

Kagome stood in front of the Tree of Ages; a lite snow drifting down around her. Three days ago it had been warm enough to wear short sleeves and a skirt now it was snowing. Global warming was a myth indeed. She really couldn't complain though she had always wanted a white Christmas... just …. she had always thought her family would be there with her. Unfortunately they were still over-seas visiting her aunt. Just as well; the last few weeks had been a little hectic, what with realizing demons did exist in this time, saving one, having her house ripped apart or at least the back corner of it... dealing with fiery black dragons from the deepest darkest pits of hell...

Yeah her schedule had been a little full lately.

Yet here it was... Christmas Eve and she was wrapped in the quiet stillness that permeated the early morning hours and she was alone. She wasn't sure if she liked that or not. She had been enjoying her solitude up until she met the Reiki team; then they had to come along and remind her of the ones she lost. It was like the years between now and then had been ripped away. It made her realize that she had never healed from their loss. The pain was as sharp now as it had been three years ago when she crawled out of that well for the last time. It had never faded; she had simply gotten better at ignoring it. The snow did nothing to ease her mind; in fact the powdery white fluff made it worse. She could clearly remember standing in that exact same spot; touching the tree just as she was at that moment...and she could hear Inuyasha's voice. It had been like the hanyou was standing right next to her.

Cold tracks formed on her cheeks as tears fell silently from her eyes. All at once the grief rose up and crashed down; consuming her. For the first time in three years Kagome let out a strangled sob. There was no one here to be brave for, no one to look at her with pity. No one to tell her it was time to move on; to forget, and live her life. How could she possibly forget them? Their faces were burned into her memories; she saw them every time she closed her eyes. She heard their voices every time she fell asleep. They had laughed together, and cried together; but more importantly they had _bled together. _That's not something you just 'forget'.

She hadn't wanted this fate... she didn't want to be alone. She didn't want power. She didn't need adventure. She sure as hell didn't want to be the guardian of some thrice cursed jewel! What had she done to be cursed with this fate? Did the Gods hate her? Did she somehow piss off the Fates? Why, of all the people of the world...why did it have to be HER?! She leaned her head against the trunk of the tree.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered, "what the hell am I supposed to do with my life? How the hell am I supposed to move on? How am I supposed to live without all of you?"

She slide down the tree's truck and flopped to the ground. Snow continued to fall; muffling the sounds of the outside world and her sobs.

"C'mon guys," Kwabara said, "Kagome's gonna be so surprised!"

"Are you sure she'll want to be bothered?" Kurama asked; putting the last bit of supplies into the tub and snapping the lid shut. "She did mention that she had been enjoying the solitude before we showed up..." Yusuke snorted;

"Feh," he said, "she might have been enjoying time away from her family... but this is Christmas. No one truly wants to be alone on Christmas!" They hauled the tubs packed full of food out to the car.

"She'll enjoy the company Kurama," Yukina said softly, "Kagome is not the sort of person who likes to be alone. She's a social person by nature. Her self-imposed solitude is done out of necessity not desire. Furthermore, you know that she's far to self- sacrificing to impose on any of us during the holiday."

"She wouldn't be imposing;" Kurama stated. Yukina lightly patted him on his arm;

"I know...but she's too polite to ask. You know that; which is why we're taking the dinner to her." Everyone piled into Kurama's car with the exception of one. Yusuke rolled down the passenger window;

"You comin', Hiei?" The fire apparition snorted;

"It will be a cold day in hell before I set foot in one of those contraptions," he growled and disappeared.

"Alright, see you there!" Yusuke called.

Hiei never could understand human's need to pack themselves into those tiny metal boxes on wheels. He raced across the city; easily bypassing slowed traffic. He made it to the Higurashi shrine in record time. He flew up the steps and slide to a stop at the top. Immediately his gaze locked on the small hunched figure at the base of the Tree of Ages.

For a moment his heart thudded wildly at the sight of her still form. She had been there for a while; snow had accumulated in her hair and along her clothing. Had she been hurt? What was she doing out here? He knelt in front of her; he didn't smell blood or fear...just sadness; a deep heart wrenching sorrow. He brushed some of the snow off her hair; had she collapsed outside? She shifted, turning on her side and drawing her knees to her chest. She muttered something under her breath and let out a loud snore.

Hiei starred at her in amazement for several long moments. Here he was thinking something was wrong and the stupid onna had FALLEN ASLEEP in the snow?! The fire demon could feel his eye beginning to twitch.

Seriously? The woman had no survival instincts at all!

"Kagome..." Hiei growled; another snore was all he got in response. "Kagome!" He shouted.

Kagome startled awake; her hand lashing out of its own accord to knock away the offending thing that woke her up. What the hell? Why was she outside? Oh right... started crying...passed out from sheer exhaustion. Genius.

A growl a few feet to her right made her turn; angry ruby eyes glared at her. Kagome gulped at the sight of Hiei sitting in the snow glowering at her, a bright red hand print on his cheek. He looked both surprised and furious.

"Oh…heh….um….Hi…. I'm sorry Hiei," Kagome said smiling, "I didn't realize it was you..."

"Hn" Hiei growled, "You often wake up swinging?" Kagome blushed;

"Actually...yea" she said, "especially when I'm startled...it's a bad habit I never could break... use to piss Inuyasha off so badly. He never did learn to wake me up nicely... so he was always getting the brunt of it."

"Hn..." Hiei said standing and dusting snow off him cloak. A wicked grin curled Kagome's lips as the fire apparition turned away from her. Without stopping to truly think through the consequences; Kagome reached down and grabbed a double fist full of snow and packed it together.

_ 'Idiot woman,'_ Hiei thought, _'first she falls asleep in the snow then she slaps me when I wake her up then..._'

WHAMPH!

Hiei froze as something cold and wet hit the back of his head and slide down his neck.

_She didn't_...

He turned to glare at the priestess; only to barely dodge another flying frozen projectile. The snowball hit the well house behind him with a thud. He glared at her..._how DARE she_...

Kagome grinned and stuck her tongue out at him; lobbing another snowball at his head. Again he dodged; his first instinct was to kill her. Surely the team wouldn't miss her THAT much... however a sizzling pain in his arm told him the dragon didn't favor the idea. Fine... couldn't kill her. Best beat her at her own game. Laughing Kagome barely dodged the snowball Hiei lobbed back at her; the ball exploding against the tree inches from where her head had been seconds before and showering her in snow.

Stunned that Hiei had actually retaliated and hadn't tried to kill her; she starred at the grinning fire apparition.

"Two can play that game, miko" he growled. Kagome glared at him; dodging another snowball. Snowball after snowball went whizzing by her head; she took shelter from the barrage behind one of the shrine statues.

"Come out miko," Hiei growled, "accept defeat."

"Not in a million years demon!" Kagome growled back; peaking around the statue. Hiei was standing under one of the large evergreen trees in the shrine. Kagome grinned, if she hit it just right... Kagome grabbed a stick from the brush next to her. She rolled from her hiding place coming to her feet and heaving the branch toward the target.

Hiei watched with veiled distaste as the miko's attack went wide; hitting the tree branches far above his head.

"That's it?" Hiei taunted, "Pathetic."

"Is it?" Kagome taunted one eyebrow arched and a cocky grin on her lips. Hiei paused as he heard something above him; he looked up... and got a face full of snow. That stupid stick had caused an avalanche. Hiei spat snow out of his mouth and shook it out of his hair; he glared at the miko who was laughing hysterically across the yard.

Oh that was it! He didn't care if the team or the dragon would miss her!

Kurama, Yusuke and Kwabara froze as they felt Hiei's energy flare. Dreading the worst they raced up the shrine steps; Yukina trailing behind. What the saw at the top made both Yusuke and Kwabara fall flat on their faces. There was a full out war going on at the Higurashi shrine.

Leaping, flipping, and dodging Kagome and Hiei were displaying a full range of acrobatic and aerial maneuvers; the fight having degraded so far that the two were no longer even bothering to pack the snow into balls; they were just flinging large fistfuls of the stuff at each other. It was unclear who had started said war, or how serious the battle was...especially considering the sheer power of some of the attacks.

At that moment Kagome barely dodged a strike from Hiei; the fire demons fist hit the snow covered ground and exploded sending the snow flying in all directions.

"That's cheating you bastard!" Kagome yelled. Hiei laughed; a really honest to god laugh without malice or cruelty.

"All's fair miko..." he taunted.

"Fine you asked for it!" Kagome yelled, her brown eyes dancing with mirth even as her energy whip, the same destructive weapon that had destroyed ten some demons days before, lashed out; slapping the snow near Hiei's feet and kicking up a wave of the white powder. Yusuke looked at Kurama, who was trying and failing to hide his grin.

"Should we um...say something?" He asked. Kurama shook his head as he set the box he was carrying down and handed his camera to Yukina.

"No... I haven't seen Kagome laugh like that since we met her...and look at Hiei...have you ever seen him that happy?"

"Ok then what do we do?" Kurama grinned as he grabbed a handful of snow and casually packed it. Yusuke saw this and grinned.

"I think we should plan our own assault." With that the red head sent a well-aimed snowball directly at a certain fire demons head. Focused on Kagome, he didn't sense the attack until it was too late. Kagome's eyes widened as she looked past Hiei to see three...now four new players enter their game. Yusuke casually tossed a snowball into the air as they approached; an evil grin on his face.

"Uh oh..." she muttered. Hiei glared over his shoulder at the fool who just blindsided him.

"In light of recent events," Kagome said, "I propose a truce and join forces against this new threat." Hiei glanced at the miko and gave a sharp nod of agreement

"Agreed."

The Reiki team felt a shiver of fear as miko and forbidden child turned to regard them with identical evil grins across their faces. Yukina laughed softly as she slowly made her way around the warzone that had become Higurashi shrine. If she knew her friends they wouldn't quit until they were completely exhausted; it was usually how these free for all fights went. She made her way over to the house and let herself into the kitchen. She also knew that when they were done they would all be ravenous; so she might as well start dinner.

The sun had started sinking behind the trees when the snow finally started to settle across the shrine. Kagome laid across the ground; breathing hard. There wasn't any snow remaining anywhere on the shrine grounds. She laughed and glanced over at the other figures sprawled across her lawn.

"I haven't had that much fun in ages!" She said sitting up. Yusuke gave her a grin,

"Yea that was pretty fun." He agreed.

"Gah, I'm starving!" Kwabara declared.

"Then it's a good thing that food is ready," Yukina said from the porch. It was then the scent of something delicious permeated the air, tickling their noses.

"You made food?" Kagome asked, ashamed that she hadn't even seen the ice maiden arrive, "How long have you been here? I didn't even see you walk in!" Yukina laughed,

"I arrive with Kazuma and Yusuke..." Kagome stared wide eyed at that.

"Seriously?" The koorimne nodded.

"You all were busy so I just let myself in. I hope that was ok?" For a moment the koorimne looked worried; as if she suddenly realized Kagome might take offense. Kagome hugged the smaller woman.

"Of course it's ok..." she said," I'm so sorry I didn't notice you here before. You're always welcome in my home! And...oh my god...what is that? It smells divine!" Kagome's mouth watered as she walked into the kitchen and the full scent of Yukina's cooking hit her. She wiped her mouth, sure that she was visibly drooling.

"It's almost ready," Yukina said, "why doesn't everyone dry off and wash up. By the time you're all done. It should be ready." Kagome nodded and hurried up to her room to change. She took a quick shower to chase the last of the chill from her body then changed into dry jeans and a sweater. By the time she got back downstairs the guys were sitting in the living room watching something called Ninja Warrior.

"I could so do that course easy!" Kwabara stated proudly. Behind him Hiei snorted;

"Doubtful," he said.

"What did you say shorty!?" The demon just gave him a droll look and turned back to the window. "Why don't you say that again brat!"

"He's kinda got a point..." Yusuke snickered, "you are a klutz..."

"I am not! Take that back Urameshi!" Kwabara leapt across the coffee table to tackle Yusuke. Kagome shook her head and grinned at the idiots. Yukina called them all to dinner; and silence reigned for a while as the occupants ate their fill. Later, belly's full; they collapsed on the couches and various places around the living room to do their own personal imitations of beached whales. It was during this time of digestion; that Kurama happened to see a red vinyl book lying next to the couch. He pulled it out from the pile of magazines and mail it was hidden in. It was a scrapbook of some sort.

"What's this?" He asked opening the front. Kagome turned to see what the red head was looking at and tensed. It took her several moments to answer him.

"It's a scrapbook of my friends...from the feudal era" she said. Kurama froze as he turned the page; his natural fox curiosity wanted to continue...to find out everything he could about the enigma that was Kagome Higurashi. Yet... he was well aware that she didn't want to share those memories; they were still to raw and painful. Reluctantly he closed the book before he could give into temptation.

"Will you tell us about them?" Yukina asked, looking at Kagome with her wide pink doe eyes. Kagome sighed, she was reluctant to speak of them; not because she was ashamed... but because they were HER memories and she didn't want to share them. Still she knew that harboring this grief wasn't healthy or wise.

"Talking 'bout it might help," Kwabara said with an encouraging smile.

"Alright... I guess I haven't been very forth coming with my past..." she said.

"I'd say stingy really..." Yusuke said with an irritating smirk, "but who asked me?"

"No one fool," Hiei stated dryly.

Kagome stood and took the book from Kurama; plopping down onto the couch next to him. Immediately everyone took places on the couch with her; Hiei and Yusuke even took to perching on the back of the couch so they could see too. Kagome laughed; they acted like a bunch of children eager for a story. She opened the book and started telling them about her time in the feudal era. She described all of her friends and pointed them out in pictures. She actually had a lot after three years. She had even snuck a few shots of Sesshomaru in there. A few of Kouga too; though unlike Sesshomaru who would have crushed her camera and killed her if she found out she had taken his picture... Kouga was hard to photograph simply because he was always on the move.

"You look so happy and young in these pictures!" Yukina said. Kagome grinned;

"These were all taken before the final battle. I was still very young and naive then; only eighteen"

"Was it hard then? Traveling like you did?" Kagome shrugged

"Sometimes, but I was enjoying myself to much too really notice. And if I did get real tired Kilala or even Inuyasha would carry me; Sango and Miroku were always there too to lift my spirits."

"Not this guy?" Kwabara asked pointing at the older inu-brother. Kagome laughed,

"You have got to be kidding me!" She said, "I'd rather cut my own legs off then ask him to carry me. He'd slice and dice me faster than Hiei over here would."

"Really? I thought you were allies?"

"Not at first...that took a while. And even when we were allies I knew Sesshomaru only tolerated me he didn't truly LIKE me. He only tolerated me because of Rin."

"Rin?"

Kagome flipped to a page further into the book and showed them a picture of a young human girl nestled between the claws of a two headed dragon, the same inu-lord lounging in the tree above their heads.

"Rin was a human girl that Sesshomaru took a shine too. Not sure why. As far as I knew he loathed humans... then sometime after Inuyasha took his arm...Sesshomaru was seen traveling with Rin. She was the only human that he didn't view as completely worthless and he was extremely protective of her. The whole reason he got involved in the battle with Naraku was because that fool tried to use Rin to manipulated Sesshomaru."

"Wait, wait, time out..." Yusuke demanded, "That guy lost his arm and was still kickin' ass?" Kagome laughed and explained about the two swords and the black pearl. After she was finished she grinned at Yusuke.

"He was the most powerful demon I had ever encountered. He even ended up growing the arm back while fighting Magatsuhi. He created his own sword too; born from his own body when he truly came into his power and surpassed that of his father Inu no Taisho , the great dog general of the west. I think you would have liked him; personality wise he kind of resembles Hiei."

Yusuke blinked in aw..."no kidding?" Kagome nodded.

"Sesshomaru was the only demon I had met who didn't want the jewel. He was only ever after the Tessaiga; the sword that could slay a hundred demons in a single swing."

"I had heard of those swords," Kurama said, "many demons wanted to get their hands on it for its power."

"Tessaiga was an amazing sword. Tensiega, the sword left to Sesshomaru could save a hundred lives. The third sword, Sounga was wielded by their father and then sealed. It was never meant to be passed on to either of his sons. That sword was evil. It possessed anyone who tried to wield it. It could also raise an army of the undead and open a gateway straight to Hell. Only the power of both the Tessegia and Tensiega could send that thing back where it belongs. Then there was the Tokijin… Sesshomaru had that created from the fang of one of Naraku's incarnations, the same one that broke the Tessaiga." Kagome laughed at herself, "Dang, who knew I had such a vast amount of worthless information of demon swords."

"Only worthless depending on who you talk to," Kurama said, "Back when I was a thief, I would have loved to pick your brains about that 'useless' sword trivia….those swords are legendary and would have made a wonderful addition to my collection."

Hiei snorted, "Sword facts wouldn't have factored into your pursuit of the priestess fox, we both know back then you would have been after the jewel and maybe even the priestess's heart."

Kurama had the grace to blush; "True… I was fond of beautiful women and treasure…"

Kagome shook her head at the two; "I can't see you as a thief, Kurama. Hiei… yea it's easy to see him as a merciless bandit. You… you're so nice and polite… hard to picture you as anything other than…a politician."

Everyone laughed, while Kurama pretended to sulk. "Politician indeed," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry, foxy, did I wound your pride?" Kagome cooed, earned an emerald glare. "If it makes you feel better, my gramps use to tell us stories about demons… and I distinctly remember hearing a few about the notorious thief Youko Kurama."

Hiei was impressed how easily Kagome soothed the fox's rumpled fur; it was obviously that she was well acquainted with kitsune's vanity. Probably because of the little kit that he saw in the pictures; the kitsune was just a child… yet it was instantly apparent that he and Kagome had a strong and loving relationship. The kit was often seen clinging to Kagome's shoulder grinning as idiotically as she normally was. It didn't escape his notice that the sadness that lurked in her eyes now was absent back during her days in the feudal era. Had the final battle she spoke of put that sadness there? Or had the loss of her friends done that?

He sprawled across the back of the couch; listening to Kagome and the others share stories. Now that Kagome was being open with her own history; Yusuke and Kurama were happy to share their own tales with the miko. Soon the soft tones of his team mates and…friends…. Lulled him into a light doze. He'd never admit it out loud; but he had had a lot of fun that afternoon, and there hadn't even been any blood spilt.

Eventually Kurama and Kwabara left to return home; neither wanted to suffer the wrath of their female family members by being gone on Christmas morning. Having no place they needed to be in the morning; lacking any real family, Yusuke, Yukina and Hiei stayed with Kagome.

It was early morning when Yukina woke; the sky had barely begun to lighten the sky. She stretched; she had apparently fallen asleep during the Christmas movie they had been watching, something about a Grinch? She glanced over at the couch and grinned; instantly looking around for the camera Kurama had forgotten the night before. She was glad that Kurama had taken the time to show her how to work the oddly shaped contraption. She had actually become rather fond of photography; a hobby that both her and Kurama shared. She focused the lens and snapped the picture; taking several different shots hoping that at least one of them would come out despite the low light. At some point in the night Yusuke had slide down to lay across the couch and had pulled Kagome to lie across his chest; Hiei was stretched out across the back of the couch on his stomach, directly above the priestess. His left arm hung off the side and was curled, almost possessively, on Kagome's hip. Yukina stood and glided over toward the sleeping figures; silently thanking her ancestor's for blessing her with the natural ability to move without making a sound. She wanted to get close up shots of both Yusuke and Kagome; and her brother and Kagome.

She doubted Yusuke or Kagome would care that their pictures had been taken; however, she knew that Hiei would be livid to know that someone had witnessed him in such a…tender… position. What could only be described as an evil smile curled the normally sweet koorimne's lips; for the first time truly resembling her brother.

That would teach him for trying to keep their relationship a secret. Idiot male. Did he really think that she wouldn't figure it out? She wasn't stupid. As she snapped the final picture; a close up of Hiei and the priestess; Yukina grinned. Yes, pictures of her brothers more tender moments would be wonderful revenge for trying to keep her in the dark. Kurama thought his picture of Kagome and Hiei by the tree was good; wait until he saw HER pictures. The Fox would be beside himself with envy.

The war was on; and their poor victims didn't have a clue…..

End! I hope you enjoyed! And I really hope I spelled everything right. LOL. Some of those names are hard to spell and really easy to get letters swapped around. Let me know what you think! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! plz?


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